Nova Prime was the predecessor to Sentinel Prime. An expansionist and a supremacist, Nova Prime believed that Transformers were the greatest among all life forms and that they should bring their glory to the myriad of lesser races throughout the universe.

Fiction

IDW comics continuity

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

Long ago in Cybertron's past, before the Great War, Nova Prime made efforts to evolve the Cybertronians in preparation for their "destiny". At his behest, Jhiaxus, his chief technical adviser, altered six Transformers to be able to combine into a being of higher intellect and strength. However they were driven mad by the merging, and they devolved into a monster. After this, he ordered the construction of the first Ark. Despite Omega Supreme's objections, Nova deceived the Cybertronian populace into believing that the Ark was intended for exploration, rather than its true mission of conquest. Spotlight: Optimus Prime Nova Prime disappeared along with the rest of the Ark's crew into an anomaly in the Benzuli Expanse and was presumed dead. Spotlight: Galvatron Despite his aggressive intentions, these never came to light, and the Transformers honored Nova Prime's memory with a statue. Megatron Origin #3

However, countless years later, when Optimus Prime downloaded himself into infraspace to survive an attack from Megatron, he sensed the presence of Nova Prime, and was filled with an incredible sense of dread. Escalation #6 These feelings led Optimus Prime to seek information from Omega Supreme, and shared with him his belief that Nova might still be alive, and his feelings of dread. In turn, Omega told Optimus of Nova's story, and later learned of Monstructor. Optimus was left with the knowledge that the Prime lineage was corrupt, and it gave the Autobot leader something to ponder. Spotlight: Optimus Prime

See kids, that happens when you do drugs.

It was later learned that Optimus Prime's assessment was right: Nova Prime was still functioning, though in a strange half-dead state in the Dead Universe, and was now the fearsome figure known as Nemesis Prime. After Nightbeat was captured by some of his minions, Prime decided that the Expansion was ready to begin. Spotlight: Nightbeat He dispatched Galvatron to Cybertron in a mission to secure Thunderwing, kill the Autobots guarding him, and bring the Pretender to the Dead Universe. Galvatron secured Thunderwing, but spared the Autobots, viewing it as a small rebellion against Nova. Spotlight: Galvatron After observing the Reapers about to destroy Earth, he ordered Galvatron there to stop them, since the Earth was part of their expansion plan. Devastation #3 Galvatron performed his task well, but Prime remarked to Jhiaxus that he was aware that Galvatron had his own agendas and secrets. Devastation #6

Nemesis Prime was found by Jhiaxus on the remains of the Ark, thinking back on old times and planning for the future. Upon receiving the latest intelligence on both Cyclonus and Nightbeat, he dismissed the former and requested Jhiaxus take care of the Nightbeat situation personally. When Jhiaxus reported Nightbeat's death, Nemesis was unmoved, deciding he would take over Nightbeat's mission and deal with Optimus Prime himself. Spotlight: Hardhead

Nemesis Prime attacked the prison facility on Garrus-9 while Optimus Prime was inspecting it. The Autobot defense forces were helpless against him: Nemesis is apparently immune to all their firepower and used his deadly decaying touch to instantly snuff out their lives. Seeing that conflict was futile, Optimus Prime ordered all the defenders to retreat, then faced Nemesis Prime directly. Nemesis gloated about the upcoming Expansion, then revealed to Optimus Prime the nature of "The Darkness", which apparently is the all-powerful, malevolent, mind-controlling anti-life-force that rules the Dead Universe and its minions. He then channeled the Darkness as a weapon against Optimus Prime, who was helpless before its evil power. Spotlight: Doubledealer Nova Prime is subjected to one of Optimus Prime's grand speeches. He remarks at Optimus Prime's "upstart arrogance", and that he reminds Nova Prime of. Before he is blasted in the back by Galvatron. He dies with the word "'Galvatronnn...". After Galvatron's demise, Optimus Prime leans over Nova Prime, saying that he wishes he could find some pity in him, but that the real Nova Prime, the part of him that was a Prime, died when he embraced The Darkness. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Notes

Nova Prime's smaller inner robot. Toy, Hasbro, please? Pretty please?

Nova Prime was actually an Optimus Prime design that artist Don Figueroa had made for Hasbro, but it was never made as a toy. In fact, part of the combined super robot mode concept art was first seen on the BotCon 2005-exclusive cover for Infiltration issue 0.

It's unclear when the Autobots evolved as a faction in the IDW-verse. Clearly, by Megatron: Origin, they were a police force working for the Senate. However, it's not known for sure if they existed during Nova Prime's era; therefore, Nova may not be an Autobot.

According to Nova Prime's design sketches by Don, seen in the back of Spotlight: Optimus Prime, the form seen in the story is Nova Prime's winged cab/trailer super robot. He also has a smaller robot mode consisting of only the cab. The transformation of the cab is pretty similar to that of Energon Rodimus.

Apparently, being an undead Prime means you have to reverse your colour scheme.

Nova Prime is the only Prime to be called Nemesis Prime. Even then, he's still not the only evil Prime that doesn't work for Unicron.

This wiki used to give him credit for not being named Nemesis Prime. Then he had to go and ruin the joke - way to go, jerk.